Kommune 1 and the extraparliamentary opposition

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In January 1967 Fritz Teufel and almost a dozen other students found the living community Kommune Eins in West Berlin. It has emerged from the APO, the student movement's extraparliamentary opposition.

The students aim for nothing less than revolutionising the way they live and love. How they'll achieve this is still unclear. Their attempts to explore an alternative model to the conservative society of the day shock ordinary citizens.

"Kommune 1" hits the headlines with its plans to carry out a "pudding assassination" on US Vice-President Humphrey, who visits West Berlin in April 1967.

German student Detlef Michel was one of the original communards.

locations

Berlin-West, Stuttgarter Platz

showtime
5

latitude
52.50526402

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13.30207229

date

1966
Military parade to mark the 5th anniversary of the Wall

The SED party leaders hold a grand military parade to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the closing of the border. The Western allies view the military parade as a violation of the Four Power agreements. However, head of state and Party leader Walter Ulbricht claims to have secured peace by building the Wall in 1961. West Berlin's mayor, Willy Brandt, declares that the Wall will come down, but only as part of more widespread changes. Manfred Lauchardt witnessed events first-hand back then. He recalls how many of the East Berliners who lined the streets did so more out of duty than conviction.

Contemporary Witnesses, Politics, East

01:06
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1966
Soviet plane crashes into Stößensee

A Soviet plane crashes into Stößensee. Apart from the pilots, no one is hurt and a disaster is narrowly avoided on West Berlin's densely populated Heerstrasse. A plaque on Stößensee bridge commemorates the fighter jet crash: "On 6 April 1966, Soviet pilots Captain Boris Vladimirovich Kapustin and Lieutenant Yuri Nikolayevich Yanov steered their faulty aircraft into Stößensee, losing their lives in the crash. Thanks to their selfless act, they avoided an unforeseeable disaster in the nearby residential area. This plaque honours the sacrifice made by the Soviet soldiers as a symbol of humanity in the midst of the Cold War."

Politics, West

01:36
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1966
Shopping centre opens in Lichtenberg

In April 1966, the GDR's most modern shopping centre opens in the East Berlin district of Lichtenberg. Manfred Lauchardt recalls how the GDR's popular WM66 washing machine was not only used in East German households, but also came in handy on Berlin's Alexanderplatz to keep sausages warm.

Everyday Life, East

01:08
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1966
Division of the evangelical synod

The evangelical church is fighting against moves to divide its diocese which still encompasses the whole of Berlin. In February 1966 Kurt Scharf is appointed as the new bishop. However, he cannot visit his East Berlin parishes, as he is refused access to East Berlin. Instead, he retains informal ties to Christians in the East. Meinhard Schröder, then a theology student, talks about his connections with Christians in the East.

Contemporary Witnesses, Politics, West, East

01:35
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1966
Animal airlift

Foot-and-mouth disease is raging across the Federal Republic. As a result, East Berlin has banned the transportation of animals through the GDR, meaning they must be flown in to the city.

Everyday Life, West

00:40
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1967
Haute couture and miniskirts

Fourteen Berlin fashion houses showcase their collections in Paris, Tel Aviv, Moscow and at the World Fair in Montreal. The miniskirt is all the rage in Berlin.

Everyday Life, Culture, West

00:50
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1967
Church of Reconciliation in the death strip

The Federal Republic of Germany does not recognise GDR citizenship, meaning refugees from the East still have the right to a West German passport. To stop its citizens escaping to West Berlin, the GDR regime continuously reinforces and expands its border fortifications. The Church of Reconciliation on Bernauer Strasse now stands in the middle of the death strip. By 1967 more than 80 people have died trying to escape over the Wall. The Berlin Wall Memorial is the central memorial site documenting Germany's partition, located at the historic site of Bernauer Strasse: http://www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de

Border, Escaping, West, East

01:19
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June 02, 1967
The death of Benno Ohnesorg

The Shah of Persia visits to West Berlin. During a demonstration against the Shah, 26-year-old student Benno Ohnesorg is shot and killed by a policeman in front of the Deutsche Oper on Bismarckstrasse. Later that year, the policeman is tried and acquitted. Ohnesorg's death is viewed as a pivotal moment in West Germany's post-war history. The events of 2 June 1967 radicalise the student movement, leading to the protests of "sixty-eight". Detlef Michel, who was briefly a member of Kommune 1, talks about that fateful day.

Contemporary Witnesses, Politics, Opposition, West

02:36
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October 02, 1967
The tram disappears from West-Berlin

Tram services are discontinued in West Berlin: the streetcar is to make way for the motor car. In East Berlin, however, the tram network is expanded. Bruno Kutz, a tram enthusiast, recalls the tram's final days in West Berlin.

Contemporary Witnesses, Everyday Life, West

02:39
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1968
Attack on Rudi Dutschke

Nineteen sixty-eight is the year of student protests, above all against the war in Vietnam, the clampdown in Prague and the emergency laws. West Berlin's Ku'damm has gone from shopping boulevard to protest hub, much to the outrage of many born-and-bred Berliners. One of the leaders of the extraparliamentary opposition, or APO, is Rudi Dutschke. He survives an assassination attempt on 11 April 1968, but is seriously injured. The protesters accuse the Springer press of being complicit in the attack. Michael Ludwig Müller looks back at that turbulent year.

Contemporary Witnesses, Politics, Opposition, West

04:07
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location

1982
Smog alert in West Berlin

West Berlin issues several smog alerts in 1982. Citizens are told that, due to high levels of carbon and sulphur dioxide, they should leave their cars at home, keep windows closed and avoid exercising outside. Smog hits Berlin whenever the wind blows from the southeast and brings pollution over from Czechoslovakia and the GDR’s chemical plants located just outside the city. East Berlin, however, acts as if nothing is wrong. As far as the official line is concerned, there is no smog.

Everyday Life, West, East

00:31
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1963
Food from vending machines

Modernisation continues unabated. The latest trend in West Berlin: the "silent vendor". Staff canteens are selling food in vending machines and business is booming...

Everyday Life, West

00:41
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1961
House-keeping day and men ironing

Everyday life in divided Berlin: The introduction of housekeeping days and ironing courses for men aims to promote gender equality.

Everyday Life, West, East

00:50
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June 02, 1967
The death of Benno Ohnesorg

The Shah of Persia visits to West Berlin. During a demonstration against the Shah, 26-year-old student Benno Ohnesorg is shot and killed by a policeman in front of the Deutsche Oper on Bismarckstrasse. Later that year, the policeman is tried and acquitted. Ohnesorg's death is viewed as a pivotal moment in West Germany's post-war history. The events of 2 June 1967 radicalise the student movement, leading to the protests of "sixty-eight". Detlef Michel, who was briefly a member of Kommune 1, talks about that fateful day.

Contemporary Witnesses, Politics, Opposition, West

02:36
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1964
Beat music and baby classes

Gender roles are changing. In West Berlin, women are dancing on their own to beat music and fathers-to-be are taking baby courses organised by the Red Cross.

Everyday Life, Culture, West

01:02
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1962
Supply of goods in East and West

Everyday life for Berliners in the divided city: customers in the West are flocking to self-service stores. In East Berlin, however, shoppers are often met with empty shelves in 1962.

Everyday Life, West, East

01:02
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1964
Driving in East and West

Coin-operated petrol pumps go into operation in the West and driving schools are equipped with car simulators. The Trabant 601 hits the road in East Berlin.

Everyday Life, West, East

01:06
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January 01, 1961
Berlin before the Wall

Berlin is divided into four sectors: the Americans, Russians, British and French are in charge of the city. The Cold War has become a part of everyday life – for both East and West.

Border, Everyday Life, Politics, West, East

00:35
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1967
Haute couture and miniskirts

Fourteen Berlin fashion houses showcase their collections in Paris, Tel Aviv, Moscow and at the World Fair in Montreal. The miniskirt is all the rage in Berlin.

Everyday Life, Culture, West

00:50
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April 02, 1979
Congress centre opens

The International Congress Centre (ICC) opens in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, West Berlin. It is one of the biggest congress centres in the world. The building (320 metres long, 80 metres wide and 40 metres high) was designed by Berlin architects Ralf Schüler and Ursulina Schüler-Witte. It cost 924 million Deutsche marks and took just four years to build. With 80 conference halls and rooms for 20 to 9,100 guests, multifunctional facilities, state-of-the-art technology, and a wide range of services, the ICC is ideal for all kinds of conferences and events. Harald Juhnke, a well-known Berlin entertainer, is extremely impressed.

Everyday Life, West

01:25
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